


A Mad Man's Misery

by MorganSloatman230



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: A swap au!, Johnny and Buddy also swap, M/M, Sammy and Jack are in Joey and Henry's positions and vice versa, Sammy is Johnny's reluctant mentor but still wants him around, Takes place in a theater instead of a studio though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:48:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26844667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorganSloatman230/pseuds/MorganSloatman230
Summary: Being a music teacher while running a theater isn't easy. In fact, it can be considered anything but that.
Relationships: Jack Fain/Emma Lamont, Jack Fain/Sammy Lawrence
Kudos: 5





	A Mad Man's Misery

**Author's Note:**

> This is a fic based on a swap au (yes, another one) that I created. In this au, its Sammy and Jack instead of Joey and Henry (though they still exist in it) opening and starting a business together. Only its a theater they begin to run, not a studio. This fic takes place around a year after Jack left, and Sammy has taken on Johnny as his apprentice and is teaching him everything he knows about music. So far, it isn't going to well, as Sammy isn't exactly the most patient teacher ever. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys!

Sammy cringed at the sound of Johnny’s playing. Since Sammy hired the boy and took him on as his apprentice a little more than a month ago, Sammy has been desperately trying to instill some talent in the child. What Sammy did not realize was just how tough it would be to teach music to a kid who has never had any prior experience or formal schooling with the subject beforehand. It also does not help that Sammy is not much of a teacher.

So far, Sammy has been trying to teach the boy how to read and make sheet music, and how to play a variety of musical instruments. Right now, he was focusing on trying to instruct the boy how to play the piano, and boy, it was not easy. Johnny, while Sammy could probably say that he is a nice kid, had a hard time following along with Sammy’s instructions, and it was starting to ware on Sammy’s nerves. 

In the music department of the theater, all the other employees of the theater could hear lots of shouts and yelling from the music chamber where Johnny’s lessons were taking place. The employees also could hear lots of apologizing and crying that belonged to the newly hired young man. Everyone in the theater knew about Sammy’s notorious temper and did their best to avoid him when he was in a bad mood. Ever since Jack left a year ago, Sammy’s bad moods seem to become more frequent as a result. 

Although many of them felt bad for Johnny, they also knew that getting in Sammy’s way, especially when he was in a bad mood, was considered a death sentence. So, though they continued to hear the shouts and cries, all the employees continued their work; trying to pretend they heard nothing. In the chamber, Johnny was shaking with trails of tears streaming down his face, while Sammy was leaning his hands and head against the wall, out of breath and sweat dripping down his face.

“…Mr. Lawrence.” Johnny tensed up at seeing Sammy flinch. “I am sorry about failing about not living up to your expectations so far. I promise I will work harder at trying to improve, though!”

Sammy sighed and tried to rub away the very visible stress lines that were forming on his forehead. After a few moments of managing to regain his breath and composure, Sammy stood up tall and firm, his eyes sharp and hard as they lock onto the teen. “Very well. I expect by the end of the day that you are have memorized and can play this song. No, it is, ands or buts! Do I make myself clear?” Johnny quickly nodded and turned away from his mentor to face the sheet music set out before him. Biting his lip and testing his fingers, Johnny began to play. Sammy cringed at the off-key music being played by his apprentice. Deciding there was only so much bad music he could take hearing; Sammy left the chamber in a huff.

After closing the door behind him, Sammy looked around the music department and narrowed his eyes. All the music staff had been listening in on what went on in the chamber rather than working away on the newest piece for the most recent, upcoming play. The employees shook slightly as their boss growled. “What is this I see? Slacking on the job? I will not have any employee of mine being lazy when they are supposed to be working!” All the staff quickly resumed what they had been working on prior to the interruptions. Sammy let out an annoyed sigh, before making his way back to his office. 

In his office, Sammy felt the bags around his eyes grow bigger as he began to yawn in exhaustion. Quickly shrugging off his sleepiness, Sammy forced his way over to his desk and went onto review the paperwork he had neglected to do earlier. A lot needed to be done if show they were going to put on in a few weeks was to be a success. As Sammy began working through the pile, from the corner of his eye, he caught something. Looking up from his paperwork, Sammy was able to see what caught his attention. It was a picture, a picture of himself and Jack together during a party they were at a few years ago. Although Sammy was not much for parties, that one he had found himself enjoying. 

Picking up the photo, Sammy felt himself faintly smile at the recollection of all the positive memories of his old friendship that the picture brought back. That party had been one of the last few times that he and Jack had been happy together. Sighing as he put the photo down, Sammy tried to brush away a few tears that were forming from eyes. He wished Jack were here. Jack always knew how to keep him calm and managed to get Sammy to see things from a more optimistic light. They had been a great team, at least, that’s how Sammy saw it from his point of view. Sure, they had fights here, now, and again, but Sammy was sure that it had not been that bad.

‘If only it had not been for that dratted woman, Jack would STILL BE HERE.’ The thought of Mrs. Lamont made Sammy grow angry. How dare that woman take away his best, and honestly only, friend in the world. Without Jack by his side, Sammy had become angrier and more bitter than usual. Just the thought of Jack kissing that woman left Sammy on the verge of snapping his desk in two. Trying to calm his rising anger and nerves, Sammy closed his eyes for a few minutes. Taking a few deep breaths, Sammy tried to get his mind off Jack. It was almost impossible though, whenever he tried thinking of anything else besides the obvious, Jack’s face would reappear in Sammy’s mind with full force. 

Leaning against the back of his seat, Sammy rubbed his temple with his fingers. His thoughts shifting from Jack to his apprentice Johnny, Sammy clenched his teeth together tight. The only real reason why he hired that boy to begin with was because of how much he looked and acted like his old friend; and he hated admitting it to anyone, even himself. Fuck, the kid even sounded like Jack sometimes, when he was not being whiny and complaining. Speaking of which; Sammy’s face cringed when he thought about the boy’s awful playing of a classic, much beloved instrument of Sammy’s childhood. He would be darned if he were going to let that child butcher music because of his lack of talent. He would have to check up on the boy at the end of the day, and see if he had made any progress improving, though Sammy very much doubted it.

Returning his attention back to his paperwork, Sammy set off trying to get back to work. Sammy only paused for a few seconds to take a sip from his black coffee, and, after once again looking over at the picture. Sammy took the photo and turned it away from him, so that it would not distract and consume his thoughts. 

He had, after all, a lot of work to do.

**Author's Note:**

> I plan on writing more fics in the future for this au. I am enjoying it so far, and would love to create more content for it.
> 
> Until then, see you next time!


End file.
